


sanders spooks

by notveryglittery (darlingdany)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Halloween Prompts, Human AU, M/M, Sanders Sides Spooky Month, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-23 05:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16152857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingdany/pseuds/notveryglittery
Summary: here's the prompt listfrom thesanders sides spooky monthblog!





	1. haunted house

**Author's Note:**

> royality (up to interpretation) and analogical (implied romantic)  
> no warnings i can think of but let me know!

“I’m not so sure I’m down for this.” 

“We’re already here, though!”

“It’s okay if you want to sit this one out, kiddo. I’ll hang with you. We could go get shaved ice from that place down the road!”

“Oh, but, dearheart, I'm so looking forward to your reactions! You always compliment the actors on their makeup and costumes. It’s just the cutest thing.” 

“Well, they work so hard to look so good!”

“I wouldn’t mind accompanying Virgil if he decides not to participate.”

Virgil dropped his head into his hands and groaned. The other three went silent, waiting patiently while Virgil internally debated the pros and cons. It took a few minutes but he eventually lowered his arms, shaking them out as he did so.

“Alright,” Virgil said finally. “Alright, fine! Let’s get this over with.”

Roman and Patton cheered. Logan looped an arm through Virgil’s and followed after the more energetic pair. Virgil kept in step with him, counting each of his breaths as he did so. 

“It’ll be alright, yeah?" He asked Logan quietly. 

“Of course,” Logan assured him. “They are, after all, only actors and they aren’t allowed to touch you. The decor is fake. If at any point, you feel that closing your eyes may help, do so, and I will guide you through safely.”

“ _That’s so sweet,_ ” Roman stage-whispered, sending a conspiratorial glance over his shoulder to Virgil, whose cheeks were suddenly quite red. He looked very pointedly away from Logan. 

Patton pinched Roman’s earlobe, teasingly scolding him for interrupting their moment. After a few more minutes, they all found themselves at the front of the line to enter the haunted house. Tickets had been relatively cheap despite the spectacular reviews and Roman refused to pass up such a deal. It wasn’t so much a “house” as it was an abandoned JOANN Fabric and Crafts store. The space was large, allowing for a maze of sorts that lead through various themed rooms. It was pitch black the moment they stepped in, though a flashlight was shoved into Patton’s free hand.

“You just get the one,” a voice hissed in his ear. 

He startled towards Roman at the suddenness before laughing it off. He clicked the light on and glanced back to Logan and Virgil. 

“Shall we?” He asked, as if they had any choice in the matter. 

Roman grasped Patton’s other hand firmly in his own and began to lead the way. He was eager to see how much work had been put into this apparent 4 out of 5 star haunted experience and whether or not it would meet his expectations. 

“Ro, honey,” Patton giggled, “I’m the one with the light!” 

Still, they continued much as they’d begun. Roman took the front with Patton and Virgil following while Logan took up the rear. Virgil had almost immediately moved on from simply linking arms with Logan and instead had a vise grip on his hand. With Logan’s reassurances still fresh in mind, Virgil found it easy to handle the gore surrounding them. The first few rooms were tame and the only performers they came across kept to their corners. 

It wasn’t until Patton’s flashlight flickered that Virgil began to worry. Patton screamed in the darkness, but it wasn’t necessarily frightened. Through the sound of his heart racing in his ears, Virgil vaguely heard Patton complimenting whoever had scared him. 

Roman was laughing. Logan squeezed Virgil’s hand. 

Every so often, Patton’s flashlight would conveniently go out, and a specter or an axe murderer or a witch would pop out and scare them. They seemed to pay most attention to the ones leading the way, for which Virgil was grateful. At some point, Logan stepped closer into his personal space and while Virgil would normally complain about it, the familiar scent of Logan’s cologne helped to calm him down. 

“Are you doing alright?” He asked, breath ghosting against Virgil’s skin. 

“Peachy,” Virgil answered shakily. 

“Don’t forget what I—” 

The sound of a chainsaw revving interrupted Logan before he could continue.

“No way,” Virgil snapped. 

“Last room!” Roman shouted, tugging Patton further along. 

Logan, keeping Virgil’s hand clasped in his, looped their arms together once more, and began to lead the way. He had no doubt that Roman and Patton, and their light source, would leave them behind without meaning to. Being even more in the dark wouldn’t help Virgil in the least. 

“Last room,” Logan echoed, tapping a 4-7-8 rhythm against Virgil’s arm with his free hand. They were so closely wound together, Virgil was surprised they weren’t tripping over each other’s feet. 

The last room wasn’t exactly the scariest but it was certainly the most chaotic. All the creatures they’d encountered on the way seemed to have congregated here as if to make one last ditch effort the scare their visitors. Roman was laughing breathlessly while Patton tried to shower praise onto any actor that would listen. 

_They’re good at their jobs,_ Virgil thought, finding that not a single one of them were breaking character, despite Patton’s enthusiasm. 

While they were distracted, Virgil sped through the space and towards the final door. An exit sign lit up in red (there were safety protocols to follow, after all) promised freedom. Just as Virgil was in arm’s reach of the handle, a figure barely five feet in height leapt in his way. He yelped in alarm, stumbling backwards, and into Logan who had been directly behind him. 

“Back, you demon!” Roman exclaimed, playing his favorite part as if he were part of the show himself. He’d taken the flashlight from Patton and was brandishing it like a sword, the beam of light cutting through the darkness. 

They snarled at Roman before melting back into the shadows. Roman spun to face his friends, wearing a most charming smile. 

“Yeah, yeah, thanks so much,” Virgil said, waving a hand dismissively. “Can we go now?” 

Patton skipped passed Roman and pushed the door open. A blast of cool air cleared the musty atmosphere and Virgil was the first to rush outside, dragging Logan with him. Roman came next. Patton took his time leaving, yelling back into the room how proud he was of everybody and what a good job they had done — Roman eventually took him gently by the wrist and pulled him outside. The door slammed shut. 

“That was _exhilarating!_ ” Roman said, pacing through the parking lot behind the building that the door had let out into. There was a booth nearby set up with merchandise and a tip jar. “Definite four out of five! I give it the Roman Stamp of Approval!” 

“That is not a thing that exists,” Logan told him, disbelieving. 

Roman pouted. “Well, it _should!_ ”

Patton ushered them along to the display stands so they could all get a matching trinket. Of course, he continued to offer admiration to any employee that would listen. (And if Virgil held onto Logan’s hand a bit longer than needed, well, he had a perfectly good reason to, _so there._ )


	2. sunsets in sweaters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ship: moxiety (romantic or platonic)  
> no warnings that i can think of but let me know!

There was a bite to the air, as one would expect for cool fall weather; the sun had shone consistently throughout the day so it wasn't terribly chilly. With the light fading now from the sky, however, night would be cold enough to warrant long sleeves and layers. 

Thankfully, Patton and Virgil were no strangers to wearing long sleeves and layers.

Bundled in his usual black and purple patched hoodie, Virgil was so far doing just fine, leaning back on his forearms, and staring up at the sky. Patton was sat cross legged next to him, wearing the cat hoodie Logan had gifted to him a few birthdays ago, as well as mittens with paw pads on them. A thermos of hot tea was clutched between his hands and he held it close to his chest, inhaling the scent of apple and cinnamon. 

"Today was fun," Virgil murmured, breaking the silence. 

"Yeah!" Patton agreed without hesitation, "I'm so glad we got our decorations all up in one go!" 

While it was a hell of a task, the pair had managed to decorate the exterior of the apartment while playing Halloween themed music all the while. The building manager had even swung by and complimented them on their "eye for design" before thanking them for sticking to the rules in the contract. A story followed of a group of tenants who had put out fog machines and strobe lights one year, which was very out of line due to safety concerns. Patton had laughed and promised they'd never do something so extreme while Virgil internally panicked at the image of such a disaster scene. 

Inside their apartment, it wasn't quite as detailed. The fake spiderwebs were meant solely for outside and where Patton frequented the least. So instead, they strung fall colored leaves along the walls and into the corners. All of the candles were autumn scented and they'd replaced the couch pillows with ones themed for the occasion. The occasion being, of course, the season of spooking. 

As a well deserved break, the pair had made the short trek to a nearby hiking trail. They'd headed up while it was still bright out and were happy to see that the outlook wasn't already occupied. Laying out the quilt Patton had been working on for roughly three years, they'd gotten cozy to watch the sun travel lower and lower through the sky, for a dazzling display of pinks, reds, purples, yellows, and oranges. 

"Sunsets in sweaters!" Patton had exclaimed when he realized they were both wearing their favorite outerwear. 

As the sun disappeared, so did the heat. The two gravitated towards each other naturally, seeking warmth. Patton was soft and squishy where Virgil was lanky and bonier; somehow, they fit together just right and never failed to find the most comfortable position for cuddling. They shared Patton’s tea and planned to make hot cocoa when they got back home. 

“What do you think Roman’s got planned for Halloween this year?” Patton asked quietly.

“Something just as obnoxious as last year,” Virgil laughed, “if not even more so.”

“His parties always do end up being so much fun, though!” 

“Yeah, I can’t argue with that. Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to argue with you.”

“Aww! Virge!” Patton squealed, snuggling closer. 

For roughly half an hour more, the two stayed underneath the stars, simply enjoying each other’s presence and the distant sounds of the city. Eventually, when Patton began to shiver, Virgil decided it was time they head back. Shaking the quilt out of grass and leaves, they folded it neatly, and returned to the trail. It was slow going due to only having moonlight and the flashlights from their phones to guide them (and Patton wanting to detour so he could step on every crunchy leaf in their path) but they made it eventually.

Once the hot chocolate was made (with marshmallows, of course), they settled on the couch and decided to see how many of the _Halloweentown_ movies they could watch before sleep took them.


	3. pumpkin spice lattes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ship: platonic moxiety, implied romantic sleepality  
> warnings: sympathetic deceit (declan) mentioned like... twice

Rain was pitter-pattering against the glass windows of Sugar & Spice. The sound was muffled in comparison to the indie music playing softly through the speakers and the gentle hum of chatter inside the coffeeshop. At a booth nearest the front, Thomas and Joan were going back and forth, discussing the plot lines and character development for the latest update to their story. A beanbag shoved into an easily missed corner was occupied by Declan, who had a mug of hot chocolate on the low table beside him and was scrolling through his phone. A bell rang as the door opened, letting in cool air and the hiss of tires on a wet road, before it slipped shut again.

Virgil looked up from the textbook he’d been reading to greet their customer. Patton was in the back, taking a break after the lunch rush. It was slow enough now that Virgil could study behind the counter without it being much of an issue; especially since Thomas, Joan, and Declan were all regulars who preferred to be left alone versus having a barista bother them every fifteen minutes, anyway. The newest arrival folded his umbrella shut and dumped it into the bin left there for that exact purpose so as not to trail water any further. 

“Hey, welcome,” Virgil greeted, hoping this guy knew exactly why the cafe had been named Sugar & Spice and just which of the two he was dealing with currently. 

“Afternoon, doll,” he replied, shooting Virgil a single finger gun. In his other hand, he held a tumbler filled already with a dark liquid that — if Virgil had to guess — was warm enough to combat the chilly weather. 

Virgil couldn’t help grimacing in response to the nickname. And why was this dude still wearing his sunglasses? Not only was he indoors now, but it was also overcast outside. “Name’s Virgil,” he corrected, tapping his name tag. Not that it mattered, really; Virgil doubted he’d be back. “What can I get for you?”

A long stretch of silence followed while he perused the menu. They had added the seasonal drinks and treats about a week ago and while they were no Starbucks, it was enough to draw in more foot traffic than usual. After a few minutes too long of Virgil drumming his fingers on top of the counter, the customer finally looked back to him. 

The sunglasses came off, perched on top of his head, and… What was he glaring for?! 

“I’d like a Pumpkin Spice Latte,” he requested, “though it seems you haven’t got it on the menu.”

… What the actual fuck? 

“… I’ll be right back,” Virgil managed, before he turned on his heel, and disappeared into the back. There was no way he was dealing with this on his own. 

Patton looked up from his coloring book, a danish hanging from his mouth. He hurriedly finished the bite he was chewing before setting the pastry down. “What’s up, honey?”

Virgil collapsed in the chair across from him, groaning. “We didn’t advertise pumpkin spice lattes, did we?” It was a silly question coming from Virgil, who was very often in charge of advertising — making sure the emails went out correctly and the boards were written eligibly.

“Not that I remember,” Patton mused, smiling. “How come?”

“There’s a dude out there asking for one. I guess I could’ve checked with him to see if he knew where he was but like… Ugh.” Virgil had brought a hand to his mouth and was beginning to bite at his nails.

Patton giggled, standing up. He took Virgil’s hand in his to prevent anymore of the nervous habit, and pulled him out of his chair as well. “Let’s go see what we can do, okay?”

When they returned to the floor (Patton pausing just long enough to press a kiss to Virgil’s knuckles before letting go of his hand), the customer had taken the leaning heavily against the display case featuring the freshly baked goods. 

“Finally!” He exclaimed, upon seeing Virgil’s return — and with help, no less. He stood up fully, slamming a hand down on the counter. “What’s a guy got to do to get a PSL around here? It _is_ fall, right?” 

“I’m sorry,” Patton said sincerely and Virgil, for not the first and certainly not the last time, marveled at how Patton’s normal voice and Patton’s customer service voice were the same. “I’m afraid you’ve got us mixed up with Starbucks. You do realize that, right?” He asked, not unkindly.

There was a sound from Declan’s corner that sounded vaguely like a snort. 

“How could I get you mixed up with Starbucks? This _is_ …” He paused, finally getting a good look at his surroundings. Where the international chain often hosted darker wood finishes and a deep green in decor, the coffeeshop he stood in currently was primarily lightly paneled and painted in pastels. 

“Oh, damn it.” 

“Language!” Patton scolded.

Virgil coughed into his hand to disguise his snicker at Patton admonishing a new customer and a complete stranger. 

“I’m so sorry, gurl,” he said immediately to Virgil, which caught the latter by surprise. “I haven’t slept in, like, five- _ever_ and I am in desperate need of caffeine right now. I think I just saw the S and immediately assumed.” 

Before Virgil could let him know it was okay and ask if there was anything else they could make for him, Patton was rounding the corner, so that he could face the customer directly.

“You haven’t slept in _how_ long now?” Patton questioned, attempting to appear intimidating by standing on the balls of his feet. Even then, he barely reached 5’3” which didn’t do much against what looked like an even 6’ from their sleepy visitor. 

“Uhm,” he answered, looking back and forth between the two employees, startled.

“What’s your name, man?” Virgil asked before starting up the coffee press. 

“Remy?” He answered, as if he wasn’t sure whether or not he should share.

“Remy!” Patton exclaimed, tone very much that of a mother grounding her children. “We’ll make you something so you have enough energy to get home but if you don’t put yourself right into bed afterwards, I’m going to…!”

“ _Ohhhhh,_ ” came from Thomas and Joan’s table, before the two broke into a fit of giggles.

“Yeah, uh, of course, sweetheart,” Remy said, holding up his free hand and extending his pinky.

Patton seemed thrilled at the offer and linked his own pinky with Remy’s. “Alright, now you’ve promised! So the next time I see you here, you better be well rested!”

“Next time?” 

“Duh,” Virgil told him, sliding a coffee cup across the counter and towards him. “Patton’s practically adopted you. I think it’d break his heart if you never came back.”

Remy took the cup, relishing in the warmth it brought to his fingers. “How much do I owe you?” 

“On the house!” Patton chirped, ushering Remy back towards the door. He grabbed an umbrella for him and nudged the door open with his hip. “I’m serious, kiddo. If you were just on break from work, I’d suggest requesting the remainder of the day off. Take care of yourself, okay?” Patton requested gently, opening the umbrella just outside the threshold. 

Remy stepped out and underneath it, his tumbler tucked into the crook of his elbow. With one hold holding the coffee cup, he reached to take the umbrella with his other. A rumble of thunder rolled across the sky the same moment his fingers brushed against Patton’s in the exchange. Sparks danced between them. 

“Okay,” he agreed quietly. 

Patton flashed him a happy smile and a quick wink before pulling the door shut. He waved at Remy from inside before skipping back to the counter where Remy could just barely see Virgil raising his eyebrows and smirking.

**Author's Note:**

> find these on my tumblr at [notveryglittery](https://notveryglittery.tumblr.com/tagged/sanders-sides-spook/chrono)!
> 
> won't be going in any sort of order with these! they won't necessarily all take place in the same universe, either!  
> warnings to be added in the notes before each chapter, as well as which ship it focuses on, if there are any!


End file.
